The invention relates to a heald having features as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
Healds designed for high-performance weaving machines are usually made of tempered steel for ensuring structural strength. The band width of the steel ribbon for manufacturing such healds has been worldwide standardized as being from 5.5 mm to 6 mm. Since the healds, because of the high operating speeds of the weaving machines, should be as light as possible despite the high specific mass of steel, in the length direction of the heald as large portions of the ribbon as possible are removed by punching and the thus-obtained edges are subsequently polished.
By punching out portions of the ribbon during the manufacturing process large quantities of waste are obtained which have to be disposed of. This circumstance increases the endeavor to reduce the quantity of raw material used in the manufacture of healds.
Swiss Patent No. 601 532 discloses healds made of wire or flat material having endwise appended end eyelets which are, for example, plastic.
Although by such a measure the quantity of raw material may be reduced, a critical connecting location between heald and end eyelet exists which may give rise to problems in rapidly operating weaving machines.
The same considerations apply to Swiss Patent No. 410 815 which describes healds made of flat steel or round steel and have appended end eyelets.
Further, in practice healds made of flat steel are known which have a straight edge extending from end eyelet to end eyelet and which have O-shaped end eyelets. As noted earlier, however, such healds too, have the disadvantage of large waste during manufacture.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an improved heald.